1. (a) Except as provided in § 1-1162.28, a person shall register with the Director of Government Ethics pursuant to § 1-1162.29 and pay the required registration fee if the person receives compensation or expends funds in an amount of $250 or more in any 3-consecutive-calendar-month period for lobbying. A person who receives compensation from more than one source shall register under this section if the person receives an aggregate amount of $250 or more in any 3-consecutive-calendar-month period for lobbying. Failure to register as required by this section shall result in a civil penalty.

2. (b)

   1. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the registration fee for lobbyists shall be $350.
   2. (2) The registration fee for lobbyists who lobby solely for nonprofit organizations shall be $100. For the purposes of this paragraph, the term "nonprofit organization" means an organization exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, approved October 22, 1986 (68A Stat. 163; 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3)).

3. (c)

   1. (1) There is established as a nonlapsing fund the Lobbyist Administration and Enforcement Fund (“Lobbyist Fund”), which shall be administered by the Board.
   2. (2) All fees collected under subsection (b) of this section by the Board shall be deposited into the Lobbyist Fund.
   3. (3) The funds in the Lobbyist Fund shall be used by the Board solely for the purpose of administering and enforcing this title.

   4. (4)

      1. (A) The money deposited into the Fund but not expended in a fiscal year shall not revert to the unassigned fund balance of the General Fund of the District of Columbia at the end of a fiscal year, or at any other time.
      2. (B) Subject to authorization in an approved budget and financial plan, any funds appropriated in the Fund shall be continually available without regard to fiscal year limitation.

History

Apr. 27, 2012, D.C. Law 19-124, § 227, 59 DCR 1862

Oct. 8, 2016, D.C. Law 21-160, § 1012(c)

Oct. 30, 2018, D.C. Law 22-168, § 1083(bb)

Sept. 18, 2024, D.C. Law 25-217, § 1042(a)

Dec. 6, 2025, D.C. Law 26-55, § 7108

Section References

This section is referenced in § 1-1161.01.

Emergency Legislation

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 1083(bb) of Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2018 (D.C. Act 22-434, July 30, 2018, 65 DCR 8200).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 1083(bb) of Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2018 (D.C. Act 22-458, Oct. 3, 2018, 65 DCR 11212).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 1042(a) of Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2024 (D.C. Act 25-506, July 15, 2024, 71 DCR 8406).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 7108 of Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2025 (D.C. Act 26-146, Sept. 3, 2025, 72 DCR 9623).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 7108 of Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2025 (D.C. Act 26-210, Nov. 24, 2025, 72 DCR 13514).